Welcome to the Training for Respect project.
We exist to improve the capacity, capability and confidence of Victoria's adult education sector to prevent and respond to work-related gendered-violence.
About
Training for Respect will introduce tools and strategies to promote a positive workplace culture and well-being, focusing on preventing sexual harassment and gender-based violence. By addressing the root causes and working with the sector to establish effective structures, the project aims to significantly enhance well-being in Victorian training organisations.
The program will offer self-paced modules to build foundational knowledge, covering the prevalence of workplace gendered violence and its impact. These modules will also provide essential training on psychosocial risks in training organisations and the obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004. The program emphasises understanding an intersectional approach to addressing gender inequity and how this can lower the risk of gender-based violence.
Recognising the crucial role of leaders, the project will enhance leadership skills to foster positive workplace cultures, reducing inequity, psychosocial risks, and other factors contributing to gender-based violence.
A health promotion campaign, developed in collaboration with the industry and incorporating insights from those with lived experience, will combat resistance to the topic. The campaign aims to promote respect and well-being in educational settings, emphasising the consequences of inappropriate behaviours.
Making it stick
“This is the beginning of further, long term change and a real cultural shift….There's like a really exciting opportunity for TAFEs and RTOs to be leaders at this really important time of change.”
The Training for Respect initiative has successfully demonstrated sector readiness and appetite for change, with unprecedented demand requiring additional training sessions and participants leaving with concrete action plans. However, translating this initial momentum into sustained transformation requires strategic investment and ongoing commitment from multiple stakeholders across the vocational education ecosystem.
Moving forward, the project's sustainability depends on securing continued support from peak bodies and government partners who can provide the infrastructure and resources necessary for long-term implementation. By maintaining collaborative partnerships between vocational education leaders, policy makers, and community organizations, the program can evolve from capacity-building workshops into embedded organizational practices.
"We need to have support from peak bodies. We need to have support from governments in order to create safe and respectful TAFEs and RTOs."
The initiative has positioned TAFEs and RTOs as leaders in workplace safety, but realizing this potential requires sustained investment in the systems, resources, and ongoing professional development that will ensure prevention of gendered violence becomes permanently integrated into sector culture rather than remaining dependent on project-based funding cycles.
Working in Partnership
“If everyone's working in silos, it makes it really difficult to actually get some traction to promote issues.”
Working in partnership to create a sustainable infrastructure to help Victorian RTOs and TAFEs prevent workplace gendered violence is vital.
Training for Respect initiative brings together diverse stakeholders, including vocational education, the public and private sectors, the Women’s Health movement, Jesuit Social Services, Our Watch, and the Victorian VET ecosystem, fostering collaboration across silos. By leveraging these diverse perspectives and expertise, the program ensures the content is tailored to the specific needs of its audience.
Through capacity-building workshops, leaders are empowered with awareness and skills to create safer workplaces. The project’s integration into educational practices enables institutions to address diverse experiences effectively, promoting safer and more inclusive environments for all.
Project Evaluation Report
The independent evaluation of Training for Respect confirms the project's success in building the capacity of Victoria’s TAFEs and RTOs to prevent and respond to work-related gendered violence. Led by Women’s Health in the South East with six key partners, the project delivered co-designed training, resources, and tools across the sector. The report highlights strong engagement, measurable shifts in knowledge and confidence, and a clear roadmap for long-term change. It also calls for continued investment, leadership commitment, and system-wide action.
